Clark, Katherine

'95 EMBA

CEO, SMARTHINKING

Clark joined SMARTHINKING, Inc., the market leader in providing online tutoring and academic support to students, in May 2009 as CEO. Previously, she founded Landmark Systems Corporation in 1983 and assumed the role of CEO in 1994. She led the company through an IPO in 1997 and sold Landmark to ASG Software Solutions in 2002. By the time of the sale, she had grown Landmark to $60 million in annual revenues and 330 employees.

When asked about her Mason degree, Clark says, “As an entrepreneur, it gave me a good understanding of how outside investors value a company and allowed me to be more effective in communicating with investors before, during, and after our IPO. The macro and micro-economics principles I learned were also very valuable in understanding our markets.”

Clark serves on the board of directors for Ensco, Inc. and Nathan Associates and is a former director of WLR Foods, Inc. She has received numerous awards and recognition for her work including the KPMG Peat Marwick High Tech Entrepreneur Award (1996), the Earle C. Williams Leadership in Technology Award (1998), and the Ernst & Young Software Entrepreneur of the Year Award (1998). In 2000 she was named as one of the region’s Most Admired Bosses by Washington Techway Magazine.